Exodus 12:6
ESV
and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.
NIV
Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
NASB
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to slaughter it at twilight.
CSB
You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.
NLT
Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight.
KJV
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
NKJV
Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.
What does Exodus 12:6 mean?
The prior verse (Exodus 12:5) included four requirements for lambs to be used for the very first Passover (Exodus 12:1–4). The animals must be year-old male sheep or goats without any defects, injuries, or illnesses. These are to be selected on the tenth day of the month and set aside from the rest of the flock. Here, Israel is instructed to keep the lambs until the fourteenth day and to sacrifice the animals at a particular time. This time is "twilight," the period just after sunset when there is still some light in the sky (Exodus 16:12; Deuteronomy 16:6).Once again, this passage uses an expression translated as "the congregation of Israel" (Leviticus 4:13; Numbers 16:9) to mean all of the people: the nation as a whole. Next will come instructions on how to use the lamb's blood and meat to complete the Passover rituals (Exodus 12:7–10).
